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While you are waiting to arrive in Aberdeen and move in to your new student accommodation at Robert Gordon University, take a look at our weekly posts to help you start planning. New information will be added each week to keep you on track.

Previous Spotlight on...

Spotlight on...Getting here

It’s time to pack your bags – arrivals week is here! Here is
our last minute reminder of key points to make sure your arrival goes as
smoothly as possible.

Complete the Accommodation online induction, book your arrival slot and PRINT your key release form. Contact us if you haven’t received your email about the Accommodation induction. *You will not be able to collect your keys without a printed Key Release Form*

Bring a passport sized photograph with you unless you are staying at Spring Gardens or Trinity Court.

During the arrivals period (9 to 17 September) there will always be someone available at the sites to issue your keys even if you arrive out of hours, so don’t panic if your flight is delayed or you are held up in traffic.

If you are arriving by plane, a free Meet and Greet service operates at Aberdeen International Airport between 9am and 6pm from 9 to 17 September. Look out for the RGU Student Ambassador when you arrive and make use of the free minibus service (limited space on a first come first served basis).

Remember overnight guests are not permitted in your accommodation during Arrivals period (9 to 17 September) so be sure to make alternative accommodation plans if any friends or family are helping you move in.

Spotlight on...Freshers' Events

With just over a week to go until our first weekend arrivals
start, our ResLife team and RGU:Union have been busy putting together a
programme of activities for your first few weeks in Aberdeen.

ResLife welcome events are now available to book online!!!
Events include Trampolining, Ice Skating, Cinema screening, Games Night,
Acoustic Night, trips around the area and not forgetting our Big Battle Bash
where we invite you to compete against University of Aberdeen for honour and
virtue. Events are open to all (no age restrictions) and can be booked via www.fb.com/rgureslife

RGU:Union have also organised a jam-packed schedule of
events between 9 and 23September with DJ sets, theme
parties, club nights and much more. Wristbands are available to purchase now.

TechFest 2017 – if you have an interest in STEMs subjects
(Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) then make sure you check the
programme of events for TechFest 2017 which will still be running when you arrive. A diverse range of lectures,
activities and presentations is on offer and well worth a look.

Spotlight on...Accommodation Induction

We have sent out an email with your link for the online
induction to your accommodation.

This is a short but important introduction to your new accommodation. Once you have completed the
induction, you will be able to book your arrival slot and print the key release
form.

Arrival slots - The arrival slots are not
limited so there is no rush to book in and you are not restricted to only
arriving at that time. They help us work out how many staff we need on-site
during the arrivals period so don’t worry if you are held up or change your
plans.

Key Release Form – you must make sure you
print this out and bring it with you as it confirms you are authorised to get
your room keys.

Passport sized photograph – you must
bring one of these with you when you arrive as you won’t be able to collect
your keys without it. It needs to be passport sized but does not have to meet
the same strict regulations. We just need to be able to recognise you. If you
are staying at Spring Gardens or Trinity Court then you can bring
photographic ID instead.

Top Tip: Your key release form also acts as a handy
“On the Road” guide for travel directions and contact details when you are on
your way here.

Spotlight on…Getting to know your local area

If you want to read up in advance of your arrival, About Aberdeen
tells you everything you need to know about the city of Aberdeen.

Our ResLife team will be organising walking tours of the
local area around your accommodation on Saturday 9 September and
Saturday 16September which will be free to join. If you miss
them, we recommend taking a walk around your neighbourhood during your first
few days to figure out the locations of cash machines, food shops and where to
buy that emergency pint of milk.

Top Tip: The welcome pack in your bedroom on arrival
will contain information about your area and we are busy working on a map that
you will be able to put up in your bedroom to show you the key points of
interest.

Spotlight on…Getting around

Aberdeen is best described as a compact city – it is easy to
get to the city centre and to the university campus whichever of our sites you
are staying at.

First Bus operate bus services 1, 1a and 2 which run between
the top of King Street, along Union Street and down Holburn Street to the
University campus. You can purchase student tickets once you have
enrolled and obtained your RGU Student card.

Top Tip: Remember you will need exact change if buying a
ticket on the bus or you can use your
contactless credit or bank card. You can also use Apply Pay or Android Pay..

Like all urban areas, driving during rush hour will take you
longer and there are limited parking options near to campus so alternative
transport is recommended. The campus is close to the Old Deeside Railway line
for an easy cycle route.

Aberdeen has also been awarded the Purple Flag for 4 years in a row, reflecting
the city’s commitment to a safe and secure night life.

Spotlight on…Getting to know your accommodation

Your rent includes wifi, basic contents insurance, communal
cleaning and gas and electric. *Craigievar Development includes wifi and
insurance only.

If you are staying at Ramsay or Craigievar Developments or
Trinity Court, there is a washing machine in your flat. All other sites have a
communal laundry room with washing machines and dryers available for a charge.

Parking is available for residents at all sites although it
is very limited at Craigievar and Ramsay Developments and you will need to pay
for a permit at all sites except Crathie, Trinity Court, Craigievar and Ramsay.
If you haven’t already sorted out your parking permits, get in touch with site
staff.

Top Tip: GoGreen, part of RGU:Union, will be running
a free shop from Kaim Cottage, situated on campus, that’s full of handy
household items and clothing, all donated by past students. Why not drop by to
see what they have and save yourself some money, and help the environment too -
everything is free to a good home!

Spotlight on...The Nitty Gritty

We've included information to describe the
flats and rooms in more detail to help you know what to expect:

what floor your flat will be on and whether
there is a lift

what is provided in your flat

how much storage space you get

what communal facilities there are

Please note that bed sizes vary between accommodation sites
and this information is on each site information sheet.

Top Tip – There is limited fridge/freezer space as you
will need to share it with your flatmates so don’t bulk buy before you have
arrived!

Spotlight on...Top Tips

Here are some top tips from our students.

Tip 1: Use our “Getting Ready for Halls” checklist to
start thinking about what to bring with you. Start to collect the things you
want to take with you from home but remember you don’t have to bring everything
with you as there are plenty of shops in Aberdeen.

Tip 2: Chat with your flatmates about sharing the
cost of communal items. A full list of what is included in your accommodation
can be found in our site information sheets including the size of
your bed – essential when sorting out your bedding!

Tip 3: None of our accommodation sites includes towels or
bedding. You can pre-order these at Unikitout
and you can get a 10% discount by using RGU17. Order before 9am on
Monday 4 September to get your items delivered to your room ready
for your arrival – handy if you are arriving out of hours or just want less
stuff to carry.

Tip 4: Any orders placed with Unikitout will be in
your room ready for your arrival and other parcels may be accepted depending on
where you are staying. Non-perishable items only (so no food parcels), and
deliveries are at your own risk so please do not send anything irreplaceable.
The site information sheets will state whether you can send parcels
early and list the delivery address to use.

Tip 5: If friends and family are helping you to move,
remember that overnight guests are not allowed in your flat between 9 and 23 September so they’ll need to organise somewhere else to
stay if necessary.

Tip
6: We provide a welcome pack in your room with useful
information and a few small items to help you get settled in when you first
arrive. Included in the pack is a free giff gaff sim card included in
the welcome pack in case you were planning to order one. You will have to wait
until you get here to discover the rest of the contents.

Spotlight on...Getting to know your flatmates

This is the first of our weekly posts with all the
information you need to start planning for your new adventure in Aberdeen! We
surveyed students who stayed in halls this year, asking them what information
they wanted to know before they arrived and we will be using their feedback to
keep you informed and prepared for September.

Students tell us that they really want to know in advance
who they will be sharing their new accommodation with. We have created a
Facebook group just for students who have applied for accommodation with RGU –
we would encourage you to join it and meet your flatmates and neighbours. This
is a closed group so only your fellow students will be in the group. You can
join even if you have a conditional or insurance offer, as long as you have
made an application to RGU for your accommodation.